Mekhi and Jared are one of the more than 100 matches at the holiday party.

"Some of the bigs and littles just got matched the other day, so it's great to see a kid whose holiday wish came true for the first time this year," said Nichole Turgeon, chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands.

While hundreds of children in the metro have mentors through the program, more than 150 others, mostly boys, still need someone to count on.

"We play football, we go bowling. We go to events like this," said big brother Jared Johnson.

Johnson, who is Mekhi's "big brother" for almost three years, said it's not a tough job and it can mean so much.

"There's not really any work involved. It's just playing and be there when he or she needs you," Johnson said.

Mekhi said he gets help with homework, a listening ear and best of all, someone who takes him for ice cream every weekend.

Anyone with interest in signing up with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program can visit their website here.

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